Maravi

(HERALD) Govt in new housing drive

Govt in new housing drive
Herald Reporter

Government has been partnered by the private sector to ensure the completion of the construction of houses and flats for home seekers under the pay-for-your-house scheme. The project has seen work on the 500 housing stands in Marimba, 70 houses in Tynwald Lot 1, nine blocks of flats in Budiriro and another 200 residential stands in Chadcombe.

Under the new arrangement that is already being implemented, Government is providing land, which constitutes 30 percent shareholding, while the private sector is providing building material and labour.

Once the houses are completed and priced, the first offer for refusal would be given to people who were subscribing to the scheme and if they do not show interest the houses would be sold to other beneficiaries on the council housing waiting list.

The acting director of housing in the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and Urban Development, Mr Special Sibanda, said Government had engaged the Infrastructure Development Bank of Zimbabwe to construct an additional two blocks of flats to house 32 families in Highfield along Willowvale Road.

"All the material for the two blocks have been bought. Workmen are already on site," he said.

A visit to the site confirmed that work was already in progress with foundation trenches already dug and construction workers busy.

"Once complete the flats would be sold to members of the public with the first offer of refusal being given to people who were already contributing to the scheme," he said.

Mr Sibanda said engaging the private sector was part of the national housing delivery programme which seeks to involve as many partners as possible to widen the implementation base.

Mr Sibanda said a number of projects in Harare have benefited from the new scheme and that Government had engaged Develop-It Zimbabwe to complete nine blocks of flats in Budiriro.

The company will also work on Lot 4 in Tynwald while Central African Building Society had also been roped in to service 500 residential stands in Marimba.

He said Government had also engaged the Civil Service Housing Development Company and Genesis Bank and Zimre to build over 70 houses in Tynwald Lot 1 for civil servants.

The Herald news crew also visited the site yesterday and discovered that some of the houses are ready for occupation.

Some of the houses are steel fabricated.

Another 200 residential stands are being developed in Chadcombe under a similar arrangement.

Labels: HOUSES, ZIMBABWE

posted by MrK @ 7:17 PM